Truck Caddy

ABSTRACT

A caddy for a pickup truck having a truck bed. The caddy including a body member and at least two elongate members securing the body member with respect to an interior of the truck. The body member having a bottom wall positionable on a floor of the truck bed, a forward wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall across the truck bed, and a pair of sidewalls positionable along lateral sides of the truck and each connected to the bottom and forward walls. The at least two elongate members are of a plurality of elongate members with an elastic length. Each of the at least two elongate members extends upwardly from a lower position at the interior of the truck toward a higher position at the corresponding one of the sidewalls. The elastic length of each of the at least two elongate members is stretched between the lower and upper positions, thus pulling the body member toward the floor of the truck bed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of vehicular accessories,and more specifically to the field of truck bed organization. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to vehicle cargo areaaccessories for retaining materials and packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cargo spaces and cargo areas provided in motor vehicles typically usedfor hauling are generally large expanses of space that are intended forlarge loads. While users of the vehicles in this category (vans andpickup trucks) sometimes require the entire amount of available cargospace when they carry loads of lumber, loose materials, gravel and thelike, not all users require such large space, and even those users whogenerally require such space do not need such space at all times.

However, there are many circumstances under which smaller segments orsmaller spaces would be desired. For example, the owner of a pickuptruck may occasionally wish to use this truck for grocery shopping. Insuch circumstance, it may be desired to place the grocery bag within theconfines of the cargo area of the motor vehicle, whether this cargo areais a bed of a pick-up or the interior space of a van.

While there are available on the market interior dividing walls that maybe disposed within the cargo area of the vehicle, some of these knowncargo area dividing systems include special hardware which requirealtering the original vehicle structure and mounting the accessory in afixed place. Furthermore, such complex installation also makes it verydifficult to remove such accessory from the vehicle. Some other knowncargo area accessories remain unsecured to the vehicle and thus carrythe risk of unintended displacement during driving. Accordingly, theprior art has failed to provide a system that can be easily installedand removed from the vehicle to efficiently and properly restrainsmaller items in the vehicle cargo areas.

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of theseproblems as set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates a truck-bed caddy in combination with apick up truck having a truck bed. The truck-bed caddy includes a bodymember and at least two elongate elastic members securing the bodymember with respect to an interior of the truck. The body member has abottom wall positionable on a floor of the truck bed, a forward wallextending upwardly from the bottom wall across the truck bed, and a pairof sidewalls positionable along lateral sides of the truck and eachconnected to the bottom and forward walls. The at least two elongatemembers are of a plurality of elongate members, each with an elasticlength.

In certain embodiments, each of the at least two elongate members mayextend upwardly from a lower position at the interior of the truck bedtoward a higher position at the corresponding one of the sidewalls. Theelastic length of each of the at least two elongate members is stretchedbetween the lower and upper positions, thus pulling the body membertoward the floor of the truck bed.

The stretched elastic length of each of the at least two elongatemembers may be further stretchable such that the body member can bemovable rearwardly onto an open tailgate of the truck to facilitateaccess to contents of the caddy over the tailgate.

The body member may be a single piece structure. Such single-piecestructure may be formed by molding or thermoforming of a suitablepolymeric material. Different versions may be formed by separate piecesof a suitable material, such as plastic, metal, wood etc. Such separatepieces may be interconnected by welding, when applicable, or utilizingsuitable brackets secured to each of adjacent walls with fasteners.

In some examples, the body member has a forward cross dimension which isgreater than a dimension of the truck bed between inward wheelstructures. In such examples, the inward wheel structures hold fromsliding forward and maintain the position of the body member at thetailgate.

When the entire space of the truck bed is needed, the body member may bepositioned against a truck cabin wall to free the tailgate-adjacentspace of the truck bed for cargo.

In some embodiments, the body member has a plurality of sliders at alower surface of the bottom wall. The sliders decrease friction of thelower surface against the floor of the truck bed to facilitate rearwardpulling of the caddy onto an open tailgate. The sliders may be part ofthe bottom wall. Alternatively or in addition, the sliders may beelongate ski members secured with respect to the lower surface of thebottom wall. A material of each ski member would have a coefficient offriction lower than a material of the bottom wall.

In certain embodiments, the body member has at least one hand grip at arearward region of the body member to facilitate the rearward pulling ofthe caddy. In some of such embodiments, the at least one hand grip is ahand hole formed through a rearward end of the bottom wall.Alternatively or in addition, the at least one hand grip may be a handleextending from the rearward region of the body member. The handle mayextend upwardly from an upper surface of the bottom wall.

The forward wall and the sidewalls may each define a plurality ofopenings for engagement by opposite ends of the elongate members.

In some of such versions, the openings defined by the forward wallinclude holes formed through an upper end of the forward wall. At leastsome of the openings defined by the each of the sidewalls includenotches formed along a rearward end of each of the sidewalls. Inaddition or alternatively, the openings defined by each of the sidewallsinclude forward openings formed along a forward end of each of thesidewalls.

The opposite ends of each of the elongate members may each have a hookmember. To secure the body member with respect to the truck, the hookmember at one end of each of the at least two elongate members mayengage one of the notches of the corresponding sidewall. The hook memberat the opposite end of each of the at least two elongate members mayengage one of the forward openings of the corresponding sidewall.

The elongate members may be positioned in different configurations toform at least one retainer for contents of the caddy. For example, inorder to partition the caddy or to secure contents of the caddy, one endof at least one of the plurality of elongate members may engage one ofthe openings, and the other end of such elongate member may engage adifferent one of the plurality of openings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a truck-bed caddyaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is perspective view of another embodiment of a truck-bed caddy.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing yet another version of a truck-bedcaddy in a truck bed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the truck-bed caddy of FIG. 3, showingthe cargo area of the caddy.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a fragmentary perspective views of the truck-bed caddyof FIG. 3, showing securement of the sidewalls of the caddy with respectto the interior of the truck bed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the truck-bed caddy of FIG. 3, showingthe rearward pulling of the caddy secured to the truck.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of one side of the caddy ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the truck-bed caddy of FIG. 7, showingsliders at a lower surface of the bottom wall of the caddy.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the truck-bed caddy of FIG.7, showing a hand hole at a rearward end of the bottom wall.

FIG. 11 is a rearward perspective view showing still another version ofa truck-bed caddy positioned in a truck bed.

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the caddy of FIG. 11 shown from adifferent angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-12 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a caddy 10 for a pickuptruck 70 having a truck bed 71. FIGS. 5 and 6 best show truck-bed caddy10 including a body member 20 and a pair of elongate elastic members 11securing the body member 20 with respect to an interior 72 of truck 70.Body member 20 has a bottom wall 22 positionable on a floor 73 of truckbed 71, a forward wall 25 extending upwardly from bottom wall 22 acrosstruck bed 71, and a pair of sidewalls 27 positionable along lateralsides 74 of truck 70 and each connected to bottom wall 22 and forwardwall 25.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show two elongate members 11 which are of a plurality ofelongate members 12, each with an elastic length.

FIGS. 4-6 also illustrate each of elongate members 11 extending upwardlyfrom a lower position 40 at interior 72 of truck bed 71 toward a higherposition 41 at the corresponding one of sidewalls 27. The elastic lengthof each of elongate members 11 is stretched between lower position 40and upper position 41, thus pulling body member 20 toward floor 72 oftruck bed 71.

FIGS. 1 and 4-8 show forward wall 25 and sidewalls 27 each defining aplurality of openings 63 for engagement by opposite ends 13 of elongatemembers 12. FIGS. 4, 7 and 8 show forward wall 25 having openings 63 asholes 64 formed through an upper end 251 of forward wall 25. FIGS. 1 and4-8 show sidewalls 27 having at least some of openings 63 as notches 65formed along a rearward end 271 of each of sidewalls 27. It is also seenin FIGS. 5 and 6 that openings 63 in body member 20 include forwardopenings 66 formed at a forward end 272 of each of sidewalls 27.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, opposite ends 13 of each of elongatemembers 11 and 12 each have a hook member 14. FIG. 6 shows that tosecure body member 20 with respect to truck 70, hook member 14 at oneend 131 of each of elongate members 11 engages one of notches 65 atrearward end 271 of the corresponding sidewall 27. Hook member 14 at theopposite end 132 of elongate member 11 engages one of forward openings66 of the corresponding sidewall 27. It is also seen in FIGS. 5 and 6that for securement of caddy 10 elongate members 11 engage existingtruck structures such as a loop member 78 on interior 72 of lateral side74 of truck bed 71.

Elongate members 12 may be positioned in different configurations toretain contents 50 of caddy 20. FIG. 7 shows an example of partitioningcaddy 10 by engaging hole 64 through forward wall 25 with hook 14 of oneend 131 of elongate members 12 and notch 65 in rearward end 271 ofsidewall 27 with hook 14 of opposite end 132 of such elongate member 12.

FIGS. 7 and 8 also show the stretched elastic length of each of elongatemembers 11 further stretched such that body member 20 is movedrearwardly onto an open tailgate 75 of truck 70 to facilitate access tocontents 50 of caddy 10 over tailgate 75.

FIGS. 1 and 9 show body member 20 having a plurality of sliders 30 at alower surface 28 of bottom wall 22. Sliders 30 decrease friction oflower surface 28 against floor 73 of truck bed 71 to facilitate movementrearwardly, as illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10. FIG. 1 shows sliders30B which are formed as part of bottom wall 22. In FIG. 9, sliders 30Aare shown as elongate ski members 33 secured with respect to lowersurface 28 of bottom wall 22. FIGS. 9 and 10 show screws 34 securing skimembers 33 to bottom wall 22. Alternative methods of securement, such asadhesive or other suitable ways, may also be used. It is also shown inFIG. 9 that ski members 33 are made of a material which is differentfrom the material of bottom wall 22 such that ski members 33 have acoefficient of friction lower than bottom wall 22.

FIGS. 1-4 and 7-12 show body member 20 having a hand grip 60 at arearward region 29 of body member 20 to facilitate rearward pulling ofcaddy 10 onto open tailgate 75. FIGS. 1-4 and 7-12 show hand grip as ahand hole 61 formed through bottom wall 22 at rearward region 29 of bodymember 20.

FIGS. 1, 2, 11 and 12 show body member 20B as a single piece structure21. Such single-piece structure may be formed by the molding orthermoforming of a suitable polymeric material. FIG. 1 shows an exampleof single piece structure 21A. FIGS. 2, 11 and 12 show single piecestructure 21B′ incorporating vertical ribbing 23, improving rigidity ofstructure 21W.

FIGS. 3-9 show a version of body member 20A formed by separate pieces211 of a rigid plastic material. Separate pieces 23 are showninterconnected by brackets 24A and 24B secured at junctions betweenadjacent walls 22, 25 m and 27 with fasteners 24C.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, body member 20 has a forward cross dimension 26 (shownin FIG. 1) which is greater than a dimension of truck bed 71 betweeninward wheel structures 76. Inward wheel structures 76 maintain theposition of body member 20 at tailgate 75 by holding body member 20 fromforward sliding when truck 70 is moving. However, body member 20 may bepositioned against a truck cabin wall 77 to free the tailgate-adjacentspace 751 of truck bed 71 for large cargo requiring a majority of theentire space of truck bed 71.

While the principles of the invention have been shown and described inconnection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that suchembodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.

1. In combination with a pickup truck having a truck bed, a truck-bedcaddy comprising: a body member having a bottom wall positionable on afloor of the truck bed, a forward wall extending upwardly from thebottom wall across the truck bed, and a pair of sidewalls positionablealong lateral sides of the truck and each connected to the bottom andforward walls; and a plurality of elongate members having an elasticlength and including at least two elongate members each securing one ofthe sidewalls with respect to an interior of the truck.
 2. The truck-bedcaddy of claim 1 wherein: each of the at least two elongate membersextends upwardly from a lower position at the interior of the trucktoward a higher position at the corresponding one of the sidewalls; andthe elastic length of each of the at least two elongate members isstretched between the lower and upper positions, thus pulling the bodymember toward the floor of the truck bed.
 3. The truck-bed caddy ofclaim 2 wherein the stretched elastic length of each of the at least twoelongate members is further stretchable such that the body member ismovable rearwardly onto an open tailgate of the truck to facilitateaccess to contents of the caddy over the tailgate.
 4. The truck-bedcaddy of claim 19 wherein the body member has a plurality of sliders ata lower surface of the bottom wall decreasing friction of the lowersurface against the floor of the truck bed to facilitate movementrearwardly.
 5. The truck-bed caddy of claim 4 wherein the sliders arepart of the bottom wall.
 6. The truck-bed caddy of claim 4 wherein: thesliders are elongate ski members secured with respect to the lowersurface of the bottom wall; and a material of each ski member has acoefficient of friction lower than a material of the bottom wall.
 7. Thetruck-bed caddy of claim 2 wherein the forward wall and the sidewallseach define a plurality of openings for engagement by opposite ends ofthe plurality of the elongate members forming at least one retainer forcontents of the caddy.
 8. The truck-bed caddy of claim 7 whereinopposite ends of each of the at least two elongate members each have ahook member.
 9. The truck-bed caddy of claim 8 wherein: the openingsdefined by the each of the sidewalls include rear notches formed along arearward end of each of the sidewalls; and the hook member at one end ofeach of the at least two elongate members engages one of the notches ofthe corresponding sidewall.
 10. The truck-bed caddy of claim 9 wherein:the openings defined by each of the sidewalls include forward openingsformed along a forward end of each of the sidewalls; and the hook memberat the opposite end of each of the at least two elongate members engagesone of the forward openings of the corresponding sidewall.
 11. Thetruck-bed caddy of claim 3 wherein the body member has at least one handgrip at a rearward region of the body member to facilitate the rearwardpulling.
 12. The truck-bed caddy of claim 11 wherein the at least onehand grip is an hand hole formed through a rearward end of the bottomwall.
 13. The truck-bed caddy of claim 1 wherein the forward wall andthe sidewalls each define a plurality of openings each for engagement byone of opposite ends of the plurality of the elongate members forming aretainer for contents of the caddy.
 14. The truck-bed caddy of claim 13wherein: one end of at least one of the plurality of elongate membersengages one of the openings; and the other end of such elongate memberengages a different one of the plurality of openings.
 15. The truck-bedcaddy of claim 13 wherein the openings defined by the forward wallinclude holes formed through an upper end of the forward wall.
 16. Thetruck-bed caddy of claim 13 wherein the openings defined by thesidewalls include notches formed along a rearward end of each of thesidewalls.
 17. The truck-bed caddy of claim 19 wherein the bottom andforward walls and sidewalls are separate pieces interconnected bybrackets secured at junctions between the adjacent walls.
 18. Thetruck-bed caddy of claim 1 wherein the body member has a forward crossdimension which is greater than a truck bed dimension between inwardtruck wheel structures holding the body member at the tailgate.
 19. Acaddy for a pickup truck having a truck bed, the caddy comprising a bodymember having a bottom wall positionable on a floor of the truck bed, aforward wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall across the truckbed, and a pair of sidewalls positionable along lateral sides of thetruck and each connected to the bottom and forward walls, the bodymember having a forward cross dimension which is greater than a truckbed dimension between inward truck wheel structures holding the bodymember at the tailgate.
 20. The caddy of claim 19 wherein the bodymember has at least one hand grip at a rearward region of the bodymember to facilitate rearward pulling of the caddy onto an open tailgateof the truck to facilitate access to contents of the caddy over thetailgate.